76ers’ Two-Way Center Hangs 43 Points for Blue Coats

Kenneth Lofton had a night on Friday.

As the Philadelphia 76ers took on the Cleveland Cavalier for the second game of a back-to-back set, their NBA G League affiliate had an outing of their own in Wilmington, Delaware.

Facing the Grand Rapids Gold, the Denver Nuggets’ affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats looked to find success for the second-straight game. Although the Sixers were around town to host the Cavaliers, the Blue Coats had two of their three two-way players on board.

Kenneth Lofton, the newest two-way signee for the Sixers, had himself a dominant offensive outing against the Gold. 

Picking up 27 minutes of action, Lofton put up 20 shots from the field, making 13 of his attempts, one of them coming from beyond the arc. He feasted at the free throw line, draining 11 of his 12 attempts. Lofton finished the matchup with a game-high 43 points. 

In addition to his scoring, Lofton collected nine rebounds, one assist, and three blocks in the Blue Coats’ 130-112 victory over the Gold.

Since signing with the Sixers, Lofton has split time between the G League and the NBA. Prior to Friday’s game, he had seven G League appearances under his belt this year. Averaging 30 minutes on the court, Lofton was putting up 25 points per game, along with nine rebounds and four assists.

While he’s been around the Sixers for a short period of time this season, Lofton checked in for just two games, averaging under five minutes on the court. 

Being that the Sixers are without their top center, Joel Embiid, the backup depth has gained more playing time in recent weeks. Paul Reed gained the nod to start, while Bamba moved up a spot to play backup to the former second-round pick.

Lofton hasn’t quite made enough of an impact to challenge Bamba or Reed for their minutes, but consistent performances mirroring Friday’s outing in Delaware would make it difficult for the Sixers to overlook the former Memphis Grizzlies veteran. 

For the time being, the Sixers can be satisfied knowing that their developmental players are finding success at the G League level.